Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncal 1941’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncal 1941’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large purple violet-colored flowers with yellow-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNCAL 1941’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Suncal 1941’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous, semi-upright, mounding and freely branching Calibrachoa plants with numerous large and attractive flowers with unique coloration.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2012 of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C24-269-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C24-162-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Suncal 1941’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Suncal 1941’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large purple violet-colored flowers with yellow-colored         centers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Calibrachoa have purple violet-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have pink-colored flowers with a yellow-colored star-shaped pattern.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of Calibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbelao’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,391. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelao’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are semi-upright whereas plants         of ‘Sunbelao’ are upright.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have shorter leaves than plants         of ‘Sunbelao’.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunbelao’.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Sunbelao’.     -   5. Flower petals of plants of the new Calibrachoa have         emarginate apices whereas flower petals of plants of ‘Sunbelao’         have apices that are blunt to slightly cordate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncal 1941’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncal 1941’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 24-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Suncal 1941’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C24-269-2, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C24-162-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 73 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; rough.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144B. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 145B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.3 mm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 300 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three             to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,             flowering naturally commences during the spring and plants             flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn             in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 9.2 mm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 9.3 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.9 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 9.4 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 83C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.6 cm. Petal width: About 1.9 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Emarginate. Petal margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: Close to N81A. Petal, when opening,             lower surface: Close to N82B. Petal, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to N82A; towards the throat, close to 83B and             85A; venation, faint, close to 83B; color becoming closer to             N82B with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 85A; venation, close to 83B; color does not change             with development. Throat: Close to 3B; venation, faint,             close to 144C. Tube: Close to 2C; venation, close to 144C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 9.3 mm. Sepal width: About 2.9 mm. Sepal             shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal             color: Immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.             Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by             1.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 3C. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per             flower. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to             145C. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color:             Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa     have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common     to Calibrachoa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncal 1941’ as illustrated and described. 